, 1887-02-02
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NEWS.

t&.H t..aa'- -
January has, so far, been very favour.
able for agricultural purposes. The show
6rs have been sufficient and general and
there has been no heavy rainfall. From all
parts of the island we have heard s~atisfac-
tory accounts, and that the prospects of
both the ripening and the newly planted
canes are cheering In some places plants
are vet being put in, and~the work of sup
DIV is going forward. We have seen some
nice young canes already springing up,
and in most places the. Old canes are very
fine. Sugar-making, it is said, will com
menCe early, as the canes are forward. A
good deal o fSyrup has been made, and is
selling at fair prices in town. We expect
that there will be more, and Il good de.
mand is safe for it. Potatoes continue
cheap, and yams are still plentiful. Indian
and Guinea Corn Flour is plentiful, and
our native Pigeon Peas are unprecedented,
IL cheap. On the whole the foreign and
native provision markets are well supplied
and prices rule low. The exception is cot.
fee. It has gone up in price beyond any
figure reached for some time.
The sugar crop promises to reach the
highest point attained before, and there
would be joy in the prospect, if only the
article could sell to repay the cost of pro-
llClIOl, anu ltlltlGSU on INV GSllllC4lL. IuGIG
seems to be little hope of this, and cOnSe.
quentfy tn" approach of the crop season
does not bring with it the usual cheerful.
ness. 1t is impossible to conceal the fact
that there il much gloom over the land,
which recent events have contributed to
d epen. 1t will be understood that we
refer to the bankrupt y Of tue old and
honoured house of Louis Son Il Company,
an announcement that took the City by
surprise u fortnight since. Associated
with the firm of Thomas Daniel & COmpa-
ny, of London, for more than half a-centu.
nv, the Firm has been doing a thIrd of the
sugar business OF the island, and aiding
any number Ofour a~griculturiStS. Ii never
seemed to be within the range of possibility
that it could fail to pay it's liabilities at
any moment. Such, however, il, the case,
and a fiat of Bankruptcy has gone forth
against the Firm. Little is known at pre-
sent about the assets and liabilities of the
Firm, except idle rumOurS. that are not to
be relied on. 1t is said there is a prospect
of the Firm reSuming business after arrange
ments with their creditors, and we shall be
glad if the statement prove correct. for it
would he very sad if so old, and valued,
and helpful a House passed out of the
island. The partners of the Firm have
had a large amount of sympathy extended
TO them, and We teel confident that what
ever may be the result of tire present diSas.
ter, they will shew that they deserve it.
The Bankruptcy i'll connection with the
universal depression has intensified the
gloom already pervading the land.
The House OF Assembly have had two
meetings in the fortnight. They have been
engaged for the most part on the Ways
and Means. They have voted, as will be
seen from our last paper, a loan of G10 1000,
and other sums for the year 1887, which,
with the reductions proposed, will, it is
thought, be sufficient for the service. But
DIR. Bayne, and the other advocates of
Retreuchment in the House, were not con.
tent with The amount, aSsented to by the
Government, and they asked for larger
reductions. A Resolution proposed by the
Doctor at a previous meeting was fully
discussed OH Tuesday, and finally rejected
by a majority f5-9 members voting for
and IA against it. DR.. Bayne not only
asks for q reduction of the grants for
church. purposes-he goes in for the Olsen.
dowment of all the Churches, by reducing
the grants annually, till the whole amount
now paid for Ecclesiastical purposes shall